The National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals, an organization advocating for equity in the hospitality industry, is speaking out in support of the NAACP’s call for American Airlines to respond to allegations of discrimination.
The NAACP’s challenge to American comes after three African-American men filed a lawsuit against American in late May for discriminatory behavior, as well as several other allegations of racial discrimination involving the airline over the past year.
In 2017, after similar allegations of hostility toward Black travelers, NAACP issued an advisory that warned travelers of the potential for discrimination. The advisory was removed in 2018 after American agreed, among other things, to create a DEI advisory council. That council was disbanded in 2023.
Now with the new lawsuits surfacing, NAACP is calling on American to take action or see the advisory reinstated.
In a statement on June 6, the National Coalition of Black Meeting Professionals echoed the NAACP’s recommendations, and called for four actions to be taken immediately:
• Report the findings from an independent investigation of the May discrimination lawsuit.
• Re-establish the DEI advisory council, supported by an equitably paid team of diversity and inclusion experts with implementation authority. The advisory council should have a clear objective with measurable outcomes that are practiced companywide.
• Conduct an annual audit to measure and track the experience and customer satisfaction of racially diverse patrons.
• Create an independent Ombuds Office to support and protect employees who witness discriminatory incidents happening at the company.
“We understand the importance of standing for fundamental freedoms and supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion,” reads the Coalition’s statement. “We will continue to push for positive change. We know that this issue is not limited to one airline and will continue to seek dialogue and action from all segments of our industry. We also understand the power and influence of tourism to any economy and will support those who support us, which is why our motto and our guiding principle is: We do business with our friends.”
